


The Flowers Of Naïveté

by Brenda



Series: Barnes & Rogers [3]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Awesome Peggy, F/M, Gen, M/M, Mission Fic, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-02-28
Packaged: 2018-03-15 16:37:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3454148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brenda/pseuds/Brenda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"It's just Bucky, ma'am.  Since I'm getting ready to see you in your brassiere and all."</i>
</p><p>  <i>As Bucky'd hoped, she let out a soft laugh.  "Well then, you should probably call me Peggy, given that we're to be so intimately acquainted."</i></p><p>Or:  Peggy gets shot while on a mission and Bucky patches her up.  (Minor spoilers for Agent Carter 01x05.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Flowers Of Naïveté

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [pic for 1000](http://picfor1000.livejournal.com/) LJ challenge. My picture is [here](https://www.flickr.com/photos/93461361@N05/10680438625/in/photostream/lightbox/). Thanks to Jo for the quick beta.

"Captain Rogers, I must insist you put me down."

Steve, being Steve, soldiered on like he hadn't even heard Peggy speak. Bucky kept pace beside him, scanning the woods for any sign of movement. "Don't waste your breath arguing with him. He's always been pig-headed."

"Yes, I'm beginning to realize that," she sighed, and tightened her arm – the good one – around Steve's neck. The fact that Carter was still conscious and speaking with those two bullets lodged in her shoulder said a whole heap about _her_ stubbornness and moxie. 

"Not apologizing for it, either," Steve said, with a determined set to his jaw that was all too familiar.

"I'm shocked," Bucky muttered, then led the way to a small clearing that housed an even smaller cemetery. Probably an old family burial ground, given the ornate headstones and marble benches.

"Where do you want her?" Steve asked, swinging around to face Bucky. Gunpowder streaked his cheeks and forehead and his uniform was smeared with blood (Peggy's, not his), but otherwise, he looked every inch the super soldier he'd become. (Even after a year, Bucky still had a hard time getting used to it.) 

He pointed to the nearest bench. "There's good." Seemed like a sin or desecration or something to even be here, but this was the safest-looking place they'd found in the last twenty or so miles. He was pretty sure whoever was buried here would understand. 

Steve set Peggy down with surprising gentleness and his fingers lingered when he brushed a stray bit of hair from her forehead. "How you feeling, Peggy?" he asked, his voice just as gentle.

Peggy leaned into the touch, but her reply was whip-fast and just as sharp. "Like I've just been shot, Captain."

Bucky smothered the laugh and stepped forward. "Alright, Rogers, enough hovering. Unless those fancy scientists gave you medical training along with the muscles, you're about as useless as garters on a nun right now. Go check around, make sure those damn Nazi goons didn't follow us."

"And I assume you _do_ have some medical training, Sergeant?" Peggy asked in a dry tone.

"Spent a lifetime stitching up Steve. A bullet wound or two'll be child's play compared to some of his injuries."

"I wasn't that bad."

Bucky nudged Steve's shoulder. "I beg to differ, pal."

"You would." Then Steve turned back to Peggy. "He really does have a delicate touch."

Bucky grinned. "Even when you didn't deserve it."

Steve just chuckled. "Still not sure I do, either." Then he squeezed Peggy's hand, and trailed light fingers across Bucky's lower back, both touches a promise, and headed into the woods on silent feet, shield at the ready.

Bucky dropped to his haunches, reached for his bag. "Alright, let's get you patched up, shall we?"

Peggy sighed, but nodded. "If we must, Sergeant."

"It's just Bucky, ma'am. Since I'm getting ready to see you in your brassiere and all."

As Bucky'd hoped, she let out a soft laugh. "Well then, you should probably call me Peggy, given that we're to be so intimately acquainted."

"Intimately acquainted," he repeated, amused, as she unbuttoned her blouse with fingers that only trembled slightly. "I like that. Sounds classy."

"Something you could certainly use more of," she replied, with a soft smile that belied the tightness around her mouth.

"Ain't that the truth." He tried to be as gentle as he could in unwinding the bandage Steve had pressed against her shoulder earlier. The cloth was soaked red, and when he eased her shirt down, the wounds were raw and angry and still oozing blood. "Wish we had some whiskey."

"Shame Dugan's elsewhere," she replied, and those full lips thinned. "Don't worry about me. I can handle the pain."

"Ain't you I'm worried about. I wanted the whiskey for me." At least the med kit had rubbing alcohol for the tweezers. He'd take what he could get. "If you need something to bite down on, let me know."

She shook her head, ponytail swaying with the movement. "Just get on with it."

"Yes ma'am." He dabbed the alcohol over the wounds, then grabbed the tweezers and went to work. It was a helluva thing, digging bullets out of a dame. Granted, one of the toughest dames he'd ever met, which was saying something when it came to the women in his life. No wonder Steve was so sweet on her.

"How you holding up?" he asked, once he'd gotten one round out. "You pass out on me and Steve'll probably kick my ass."

"Please, like he'd do any such thing." Her laugh was strained, but at least she was trying. "The Captain loves you."

It was as close as she'd ever come to skirting around what he and Steve were to each other. And under it, he heard the question she'd never ask out loud. "Yeah, well, his heart's big enough for two," he said, because she needed to hear that truth, too. "I feel lucky he trusted me with you."

She let out a small, pained noise as he started digging again, but otherwise remained still. "You don't mind?"

"Why would I? God knows he deserves all the happiness the world can throw his way. And you make him happy." He grinned in triumph as he came away with the other bullet. "Alright, the good news is, it doesn't look like you'll need stitches."

"And the bad news?"

"You won't be able to sleep on your back for awhile." He packed gauze over the wounds and wrapped a bandage around them. Wasn't perfect by any stretch, but it'd do until they got back to base.

"Seems a fair trade." She flashed him a wan smile and grabbed his hand, held tight. "Thank you, Bucky."

He was smart enough to know she wasn't just thanking him for patching her up. He squeezed her hand, felt the softness and the strength in her grip. Steve was a damn lucky man, no doubt about it. "You're welcome, Peggy."

***

**Author's Note:**

> You can now find me on [Tumblr](http://brendaonao3.tumblr.com/). :)


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